D-328: Dinoking Giftset - Photos Part 2

Previous chapter: D-328: Dinoking Giftset - Photos Part 1

The previous chapter featured photos that are predominantly focused on the outer giftset box of Dinoking. Not that its not impressive or important, its a giftset box after all, but then the real gems lie inside the box. Cracking it open, I present to you some interior shots of the Dinoking giftset and its one of a kind insert, which surprisingly, is not styrofoam.

Dinoking giftset out of the box. Parts in original baggy. Unused sticker sheet. My Dinoking giftset didn't come with the instructions and catalogs.  Oh well, can't win it all.

The set actually comes with an additional piece of thick plastic that goes over the shells, presumably to prevent the shells which is made of a rubbery material, from coming into contact with the plastic window of the box.

Another shot of the plastic covering.

A shot of the area where plastic covering was taped to the insert tray.

Close up shot of the full insert tray.

The back of the insert tray. Notice that there are pieces of cardboard along the insert tray presumably to give it added support.

The Dinoking bio-card. Like all Victory boxed toys, the bio-card is not individually included but is printed onto a flap of the box.

D-322: Gouryu (aka: Icepick; aka: 剛竜, "Hard Dragon")

D-323: Gairyu (aka: Bristleback; aka: 貝竜, "Shell Dragon")

D-324: Kakuryu (aka: Slog; aka: 角竜, "Horned Dragon")

D-325: Doryu (aka: Scowl; aka: 土竜, "Earth Dragon")

D-326: Yokuryu (aka: Wildfly; aka: 翼竜, "Winged Dragon")

Right now, I'm thinking that I like Yokuryu's shell the most. Very nice sculpt and head sculpt. Very reminiscent of Swoop too.

D-327: Birdbrain = Rairyu (aka: Birdbrain; aka: 雷竜, "Thunder Dragon")

This is a strange one and the guy is probably having an identity crisis. As part of the Monster Pretenders, "Birdbrain" had a bird-like feathered flying shell. As part of Dinoforce, he is Rairyu and has a shell modelled after one of the heaviest and most lumbering dinosaurs, a brontosaurus. I like this shell too, I like its colour scheme. Very reminiscent of Sludge and is easily one of the largest Dinoforce shells by length.

Close up shots of the robots.

Goryu and Doryu

Gairyu and Yokoryu

Karkaryu and Rairyu

Next: Out of the insert they come!

Read the other Dinoking Chapters:

Japanese Victory D-328: Dinoking Giftset Preliminary Photos (19 May 2010)

The Dinoking Dilemma (23 May 2010)

D-328: Dinoking Giftset - Photos Part 1 (30 May 2010)

I would have waited an eternity for...... C-326

After close to 10 months of searching and 'begging' people who seem to have it, I've finally finally won an auction for it today:
- MIB;
- good condition box;
- complete paperworks; and
- at a good price.

WOOT!

(PS: don't enjoy begging people to sell me a toy. It's like reverse begging, cos I'm actually begging them to give them money. Glad I no longer have to do that. heh.)

C-303: My goddess Minerva

It took awhile and a lot of searching and in the end I managed to find a Masterforce C-303: Minerva (Minelba) in unused, bone white and C9.5 condition. This is a very rare piece and perhaps, also highly sought after by collectors wishing to finish up their "Japanese Exclusive" G1 Transformers. line up To my mind, the Minerva is probably a rarity among the rare and the other pieces that are nearly as rare as (or rarer than) Minerva are figures like: the W cassettes, the 6 headmaster heads (plus their white versions), Go-Shooter, Galaxy Shuttle, Black Shadow, Blue Bacchus, Dinoking and the like.

Minerva is an interesting name for a Transformer. Minerva is a Roman goddess.

"The name "Minerva" may come from the Indo-European root 'men', from which "mental" and "mind" are also derived. However, the non-Indo-European speaking Etruscans had a goddess Menrva, so the name may be of entirely unknown derivation. Minerva was the daughter of Jupiter and Metis. She was considered to be the virgin goddess of warriors, poetry, medicine, wisdom, commerce, crafts, and the inventor of music. As 'Minerva Medica', she was the goddess of medicine and doctors.

Adapting Greek myths about Athena, Romans said that Minerva was not born in the usual way, but rather sprang fully armed from the brain of her father; this image has captivated Western writers and artists through the ages. Ovid called her the "goddess of a thousand works." Minerva was worshipped throughout Italy, though only in Rome did she take on a warlike character. Minerva is usually depicted wearing a coat of mail and a helmet, and carrying a spear." (referenced from Crystalinks)

I'm 90% satisfied with this Minerva, but it'd be perfect if I could also get the box and styrofoam for this figure. It's a very nice figure and certainly a notch up from the figure it was repainted from - Nightbeat (although, don't let Simon Furman hear me say this of one of his pet favourites!).

Some pictures of Minerva...

Close up of face. Mmmm... blue eyes for Autobot, nice.

Rescue ambulance mode

Minerva driver in seat

Close up of driver. She is supposed to be quite stunning.

Rescue ambulance in attack mode. Okay, I think defence mode makes more sense since an ambulance or rescue vehicle is unlikely to go on the offense and attack.

Date stamp: "Takara 1987, Taiwan". This pretty girl's made in Taiwan, figures.

Robot Mode

Goddess of wisdom deep in thought

C-303: Minerva / Minelba with instructions and unapplied sticker sheet

Transformers "superise Headmasters"

I bought this set at the risk of tainting my collection. Taint it I did, E thinks. 

There were many reasons behind why I went out and got this set - a key reason is how kick ass the packaging is. The front and back of the box features original artwork of all 10 headmaster heads. The front features G1 type 'box art' art, albeit 3-D rendered rather than painted; and the back features an epic space battle scene worthy of being put behind a G1 box. Very sweet packaging. Being a MIB collector, I love packaging.

The next reason is because the quality of the reproduction is from all accounts (and now I believe so having held them) to be very spot on. After handling the set, I'd say that the quality for Spike, Grand, Lord Zarak and Black Zarak are arguably superior to the originals. To prove my point, E actually made Black Zarak raise and lower his arm 2-3 time, without it breaking. I don't believe I can find a vintage Black Zarak head whose arm would not snap clear off the moment someone tries to swing it up and down. I can't tell for the other 6 since I don't have the originals.

The final reason, and perhaps the reason for contaminating my collection is because it had been such a nightmare trying to locate genuine releases of the 6 headmasters - Karku, Rodney, Loafer, Lione, Trizer and Shuffler. They pop up on eBay once in a while and command between US$250 to US$1400 (for example Shuffler). The prices, are beyond reason, even if one could find them. These are in short supply even on Yahoo Japan.

To many, like myself (hit me now), this set is almost a god-sent.

So exactly what is the Transformers "superise Headmasters"? 

It is 10 Headmaster heads in a giftset box, made as reproductions by a Chinese Transformer fan and variously sold on iOffer and eBay. The set contains 10 of the rarest Headmaster heads, 8 of 10 were Japanese exclusives and 6 of the 8 were Japanese exclusives and released in very small quantities back in 1987. Here is a run down of what the set contains:

1. Spike (released in 1987 as the head of Cerebros who is the head of Fortress Maximus; released in the US and in Japan as C-114);
2. Lord Zarak (released in 1987 as the head of Scorponok; released in the US and in Japan as D-93);
3. Grand (Japanese exclusive; released in 1988 as the head of C-311: Grand Maximus);
4. Black Zarak (Japanese exclusive; released in 1988 as the head of D-311: Black Zarak);
5. Loafer (Japanese exclusive released in 1987 as individual head without accompanying robot);
6. Karku/Kirk (Japanese exclusive released in 1987 as individual head without accompanying robot);
7. Lodoni/Rodney (Japanese exclusive released in 1987 as individual head without accompanying robot);
8. Trizer/Trizor (Japanese exclusive released in 1987 as individual head without accompanying robot);
9. Lione (Japanese exclusive released in 1987 as individual head without accompanying robot); and
10. Shuffler (Japanese exclusive released in 1987 as individual head without accompanying robot).

Heads number 5 to 10 are the relatively rarer heads. However, and its a big however, the ultra hard-to-find store exclusive white versions of each of  heads 5 to 10 are even rarer. So rare that very few specimens have even been sighted. These rare white heads, have also been reproduced by the same Chinese Transformers fan.

Needless to say, I got the coloured version giftset and also the white versions.

Here are some pictures (seller's pictures)

Giftset box with original box art

Back of box with 'classic' battle scene. It's interesting to see that Lord Zarak actually metamorphoses into Black Zarak.

Box comes with a flip up cover. Now, that's something that does not happen even back in the good 'ol G1 days. There were only a handful of boxes with flip up box covers. Off the top of my head, I know that D-94: Decepticon Clones and C-308: Doubleclouder has this feature.

Headmasters in alternate mode.

Headmasters in head mode.

Store exclusive white headmasters in head mode.

Store exclusive white headmasters in alternate mode.

New Arrivals - a surprise on Sunday

I was waiting in great anticipation over the course of this week for some Transformers I bought to arrive. Since they were posted by EMS, I made it a point to check their status daily using EMS Tracking. It was fun to see where they are and know how soon I might expect them. On 15 July, the status on the EMS system said "Delivered". So I headed home, with great anticipation and a tinge of excitement I might add, full expecting to see a slip of paper in my letter box telling me to collect my parcel from concierge.

They didn't arrive. This was Thursday.

On Friday, I checked again. Still no slip of paper from concierge.

I sneaked a check on Saturday. Still nothing.

This morning, I got a call from concierge through the intercom. The lady at the other end said "you have 2 parcels waiting for you to collect."

"Wow!", that's great news I thought.

Went for lunch and came back to collect the stuff. I broke them out right-away and transformed them with E. These are what arrived today:

• C-347: Sonic Bomber MIB;
• C-349: Road Fire MIB;
• C-303: Minerva (stickers unapplied);
• Construction Patrol; and 
• Race Track Patrol.

I like the Race Track Patrol. It is one of the crazier but to me, quite special patrols. I can't put my finger on why, but its a great set of figures. I was completely blown away by Sonic Bomber and Road Fire. To be honest, I never expected them to be such nice figures and also never expected them to come with motorised action as well. They are the very standard G1-type 'brick' figure with very limited articulation and that's just the way I like it. Very nicely sized and very classic G1-esque design for a line that was at the very tail end of G1 and so much better than the US and Europe releases of the same year. I have them right next to me as I'm writing this. heh.

Here are some preliminary pictures, more to follow obviously.

Micromasters: Sonic (came with Sonic Bomber), Drill Buster (came with Road Fire) and Metrobomb (came with Metrotitan), Construction Patrol and Race Track Patrol

C-303: Minerva (stickers unapplied)

C-347: Sonic Bomber MIB

C-349: Road Fire MIB

Further updates and detailed pictures to come!

~HD